Antwerp procedures for LNG bunkering

The Port of Antwerp has published its own specific procedures this month for LNG bunkering to enable the process to be carried out as safely as possible.

“Since the technology for LNG bunkering is still in its early days we expect to build up new know-how during the implementation stage and the procedures will be refined and updated on an ongoing basis,” said Eddy Bruyninckx, CEO of Antwerp Port Authority.

Antwerp has adopted LNG bunkering as part of its overall strategy to help shippers meet the new IMO regulation annex VI coming into force in 2015 for reducing ships’ emissions in the Emission Control Area (ECA) covering the North Sea, Baltic Sea and English Channel.

The port authority is both facilitating and promoting the use of LNG as ship’s fuel. To this end, Norwegian classification society Det Norske Veritas (DNV) was asked to develop procedures to serve as operational standards for bunkering with LNG in a safe manner. It also investigated the possible risks of parallel LNG bunkering operations in the port.

The procedures developed by DNV for the Port of Antwerp will be made public to help promote the widespread use and adoption of LNG, the port authority said.

Antwerp is also working with the Exmar shipping company in a partnership which will collaborate closely for construction of an LNG bunkering vessel, including required preliminary studies.